The present invention relates to a stand for raising, dollying, and supporting front wheel drive transmissions.
Automotive transmissions are typically heavy and therefore require a great deal of effort to lift and carry. In the past, transmissions have been lifted and carried manually or by using hoists attached to a ceiling. Unfortunately, these methods are very restrictive. In the case of manual lifting, the mechanic is subjected to a great deal of back strain which, in turn, can lead to debilitating injuries. The mechanic is likewise limited by his own strength when carrying the transmission to a remote place. A hoist, on the other hand, is usually expensive and restricted in that it must be hung from a ceiling and is therefore limited to the area covered by tracks on the ceiling. Other hoists are more portable, but expensive and involve large, cumbersome structures.
More recent attempts to provide a mobile stand for a transmission are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,560,151 to Grundy; 4,691,904 to Armstrong; 4,010,942 to Ward; and 4,307,877 to the present applicant. Although generally effective, each of the disclosed stands, is designed for rear wheel drive transmissions having a long rearwardly projecting barrel portion which eventually connects to a drive shaft. Consequently, none of these references suggests a stand for supporting a front wheel drive transmission, nor do they suggest supporting a transmission by its bell housing alone.